Big issues...kids moved folders to trash...where do I put them now?

So I come home today and see my daughter (3) apparently moved my documents, music, movies, sites, public, and desktop folder to the trash. Where do I put them back to get everything like it was? I cant move the desktop thing out of the trash because it says "the item "desktop" is in use right now and cannot be opened. Try again when the current task is complete."

Damnit Apple, where is Leopard already, we need Time Machine!! Sorry I am not of much help. Just wanted to say I feel for you! My son kung fu'd my imac with his nail clippers putting some nice holes in the screen. Kids.....

I moved everything back into the home folder. I logged out and everything looked like it had been rest to default (ie- my wallpaper was gone, my dock was back to the way it was when I first got the computer, all my folder settings were messed up)

I moved everything back into the home folder. I logged out and everything looked like it had been rest to default (ie- my wallpaper was gone, my dock was back to the way it was when I first got the computer, all my folder settings were messed up)

How do I know if I got every thing back the right way?

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Sounds like some of your preference (.plist) files were reset. Change everything back to the way you prefer, dock, wallpaper, etc. Then log out and back in to make sure your preferences don't reset themselves again.

Man alive, I dont know exactly what happened but everything is funked up. I opened mail and it ran me through the initial set up like it had never been used. But once I got past that all my mail was there. Im afraid to do anything else cause I might not know what to do next.

Everything in my home folder was moved to the trash. I moved everything back except the desktop one and everything seemed back to normal. Then I moved the desktop one back and it looked like a ton of documents were being copied from one place to another. Took like 6-7min to move that from the trash to the home folder.

Then I logged out and back in and its almost like a new install. My dock was back to the way it was when I first turn the system on when I got it. All my settings in the folder options were set to default. My icons on the dock were gone. I just mentioned the mail thing, having to run back through the inital set up.

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The only answer to my reading of your question would be "in a cage where they can't do it again."

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No one is alllowed on here again. Going to set it to log me out after minutes of inactivity. I hate to do it cause they (especially she) likes to play Noggin, but Im just too new to macs to know what to do if something like this happens.

If the original Library folder was deleted (or misplaced) at the time of the restart, a new Library folder may have been created in its place.

Check to see if this library folder seems like it's yours...

For example, look in the 'Widgets' folder (in the library folder). If you had any widgets installed (besides those included with OS X) they would be in located here. If it is empty, this is not your library folder (unless you don't have any other widgets).

You can also check other folders such as 'Mail'; if this is the original it will have a folder in there named after your mail account name.

Also try 'Application Support' - look for a folder relating to any applications you may have installed (not included with OS X).

In general, just look for any signs that it's yours.

BTW: Make sure you are checking the library in your Home folder, and not the system library.

No one is alllowed on here again. Going to set it to log me out after minutes of inactivity. I hate to do it cause they (especially she) likes to play Noggin, but Im just too new to macs to know what to do if something like this happens.

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Make a user account for your children (without a password). Put all the stuff you want them to have there. Password protect your own account. Now they can use the machine when they want and you can stop worrying. In fact, switch into their account whenever you leave the machine. See HELP: Switching between User Accounts if you do not know how to do this.

Make a user account for your children (without a password). Put all the stuff you want them to have there. Password protect your own account. Now they can use the machine when they want and you can stop worrying. In fact, switch into their account whenever you leave the machine. See HELP: Switching between User Accounts if you do not know how to do this.

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Yes, very good suggestion. Assuming you don't give your kids administrator access or privileges, there is virtually no danger to your own account.

If the original Library folder was deleted (or misplaced) at the time of the restart, a new Library folder may have been created in its place.

Check to see if this library folder seems like it's yours...

For example, look in the 'Widgets' folder (in the library folder). If you had any widgets installed (besides those included with OS X) they would be in located here. If it is empty, this is not your library folder (unless you don't have any other widgets).

You can also check other folders such as 'Mail'; if this is the original it will have a folder in there named after your mail account name.

Also try 'Application Support' - look for a folder relating to any applications you may have installed (not included with OS X).

In general, just look for any signs that it's yours.

BTW: Make sure you are checking the library in your Home folder, and not the system library.

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Well in fact there is no widgets folder in my home library folder, and yes, Id installed my own widgets. So now what?

Also, I cant find my idisk. it used to be on the side finder thing on the left when I clicked on the HD. Now its not there. Nothing coming up in spotlight either.

Ok, I have a library backup that I made on Aug 5 in backup. Can I just restore this and move it to my home folder and overwrite whats there now and have everything as it was on aug 5? I dont think Ive made that many changes since then.

Spotlight may be able to help. At this point, there should be three library folders with the books graphic on the folder (spotlight will show this). If you hover the mouse pointer over the library folder it will show the pathname...

Your system library will have the path '/'

Your home library folder will have the path '/Users/yourusername' - This is the new library folder created after the original went missing

Hopefully there will be another folder named "Library" bearing the books graphic, and hopefully it is the original. ...Did you find it?

Ok, I have a library backup that I made on Aug 5 in backup. Can I just restore this and move it to my home folder and overwrite whats there now and have everything as it was on aug 5? I dont think Ive made that many changes since then.

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Sure you can do that (only it wouldn't hurt to try looking for it on your HDD first). Also, make sure it is your home library and not the system library.

My only suggestion is this: don't delete the library folder just yet. Place it in the trash if you want, but keep it around to ensure there aren't any problems.

Once you restore your home library folder (either from backup or HDD), restart, and once everything is back to normal (hopefully), you can empty your trash (deleting the extra library folder).

Spotlight may be able to help. At this point, there should be three library folders with the books graphic on the folder (spotlight will show this). If you hover the mouse pointer over the library folder it will show the pathname...

Your system library will have the path '/'

Your home library folder will have the path '/Users/yourusername' - This is the new library folder created after the original went missing

Hopefully there will be another folder named "Library" bearing the books graphic, and hopefully it is the original. ...Did you find it?

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There are only 2 library folders that are found in spotlight, the main one /, and my user one, /users/myname. I dont know what the hell she did. The thing I dont get is I have a bunch of stuff in my trash can besides the stuff she moved to the trash. I hadnt deleted the trash in quite a while. So unless she somehow moved my user folder to the trash, then opened the trash and deleted JUST that folder...but come on, shes only 3.

Sure you can do that (only it wouldn't hurt to try looking for it on your HDD first). Also, make sure it is your home library and not the system library.

My only suggestion is this: don't delete the library folder just yet. Place it in the trash if you want, but keep it around to ensure there aren't any problems.

Once you restore your home library folder (either from backup or HDD), restart, and once everything is back to normal (hopefully), you can empty your trash (deleting the extra library folder).

Click to expand...

The library folder I have in my backup does show the widgets that I had installed, so I know its my own personal library folder. So can I just restore that folder, move it to my home folder, then restart and hope for the best?

Im completely stumped as to what happened to my user library folder. I have done a spotlight search for those widgets that were there, hoping to track down that folder, and they just are totally gone. She must have deleted the folder in the trash without deleting the whole trash can.

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